Arab League Warns of Religious War If Israel Seizes Al-Aksa Mosque

The foreign ministers of ten Arab League member states convened an emergency meeting in Amman, Jordan, warning that Israeli moves to alter the long-standing arrangements governing the Al-Aksa mosque compound could lead to "a religious conflict whose impact transcends the region and threatens regional and international peace and security." Ministers from Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia also joined the statement.

Why Al-Aksa Is at the Centre of the Crisis

Al-Aksa is considered the third holiest site in Islam, after Mecca and Medina. The compound — known to Jews as the Temple Mount — is simultaneously the holiest site in Judaism, where two ancient Jewish temples are believed to have stood. Its political significance is enormous: the mosque is a symbol of Palestinian identity and Palestinians claim the surrounding area as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

The Status Quo at Risk

After Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967, a decades-old arrangement was established: Muslims pray on the compound, while non-Muslims may visit but not pray. Jordan has maintained its historic role as custodian of the holy site through the Islamic Waqf endowment authority. Reports now suggest Israeli authorities are gradually shifting this arrangement, prompting Jordan's foreign minister to call the emergency session.

Jordan's FM Ayman Safadi warned of "a religious conflict reverberating across the Muslim world." Israel's foreign ministry rejected the allegations, saying Jerusalem has "never been so open and accessible to believers of all religions."

Regional Tensions

Visits to the compound by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir — already a figure of controversy over his Gaza stance — have been seen by many as provocations. The Arab League ministers called on Israel to immediately halt any moves that alter the status quo at the site.